FAQs
Passport Services - FAQs
| Q) Who can apply for passport renewal? |
| A) Any applicant holding Indian passport and a status in Canada (Visitor/Study/Work permit or PR) and living in Consulate's consular jurisdiction can apply for passport renewal. |
A) Step 1: Fill and submit the form online
Step 2: Take a printout of the form submitted online and submit the hard copy of form with photo, supporting documents and fee at the nearest BLS Centre.
Please Note: DO NOT USE ANY SPECIAL CHARACTERS (&, #) WHILE ENTERING ADDRESS DETAILS. THIS MAY LED TO A PRINT ERROR ON THE PASSPORT BOOKLET AND THE CONSULATE WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS.
| Q) I have made an error in online application / I need to modify something in my online application, but I have already submitted it online. What do I do? |
| A) The applicant will need to fill a new application and submit it online. Make sure that they send the hard copy of the correct form when submitting it at BLS centre. |
A) Applicant can apply for renewal of passport up till a year before its expiry. It is recommended to necessarily renew passport that has less than 6 months of validity.
However, a passport may be renewed irrespective of the date of expiry in case of one of the following reasons:
A) The Consulate grants no walk-in appointments. Applications are accepted only through BLS centres. Applicant has to submit hard copy of application with all relevant documents at the nearest BLS centre. The applicant can also send the application by post to BLS (please check BLS website for eligibility).
Please see BLS website for information regarding BLS Centres, timings, and FEE rates & modes of payment.
Walk in Service (only through online appointment at BLS website )
For any services at BLS centres, appointment is necessary.
i) Toronto
Unit 1, 91 Oxford Street,
Toronto, ON, M5T 1P2, Canada
Phone: 6478464077
iv) Winnipeg
2358 McPhillips St, Unit #9,
Winnipeg, MB, R2V 4J6, Canada
Phone: 2048001550
ii) Brampton
40 Gillingham Drive, Unit 403,
Brampton, ON, L6X 4X7, Canada
Phone: 2894981320
v) Halifax
Unit: 101 A, 998 Parkland Dr,
Halifax, NS, B3M 0A6, Canada
Phone: 9027006980
iii) Mississauga
Unit: 404A - 3461 Dixie Road,
Mississauga, ON, L4Y 3X4, Canada
Phone: 2898043637
All Applications by Post are required to be submitted to BLS Brampton at following address:
BLS Brampton
60 Gillingham Drive, Unit 401-A,
Brampton, ON, L6X 0Z9, Canada.
Phone: 2894981320
A)
Documentary requirements of specific cases (passport for Minor, lost passport etc) are listed on the “General Information” page.
| Q) Can I submit application at the Consulate in person? |
| A) Applications are accepted only through BLS. The Consulate grants no in person appointments. |
| Q) Can I collect passport directly from Consulate? |
| A) Issued passports can be collected from BLS Centre. The applicants can also pay BLS for postal delivery to their home address. |
| Q) I am a resident of a place outside Toronto. Can I submit my passport application at CGI, Toronto? |
| A) All applications to be made to BLS centres only. Applications would be processed only from applicants living in Consular Jurisdiction. |
A) Case 1- Any applicant holding visitor permit (Adult or Minor): 2 years only (or till age of 18 years for minor, whichever is earlier)
Case 2- Applicants holding a study/work permit or PR:
Adults: 10 years
A) Minors between 15-18 years of age can obtain passport of 10 years only under NORMAL category if they pay fee as applicable for adult applicants. If fee for a MINOR is paid the passport will be renewed for 5 years or till the date on which the applicant becomes an adult (whichever is earlier).
Such applications cannot be accepted under TATKAL (TATKAL passports of minors will be restricted till the date on which applicant attains 18 years of age).
| Q) What is the size of a passport booklet? |
| A) Normal passport booklet has 36 pages. Jumbo booklet with 60 pages can be obtained by paying extra applicable fee. |
| Q) Can I apply for fresh passport under TATKAL category? |
| A) Applicant can only apply for renewal of passport under TATKAL category. |
| Q) Can I apply for Jumbo booklet (60 page booklet) under TATKAL category? |
| A) Applicant can only apply for 36 page booklet under TATKAL category. |
A) The following cases are not eligible to apply for TATKAL passports:
| Q) My passport has expired more than one year ago. Is there any extra document required from my side? |
| A) A self-attested declaration on plain paper explaining the reason for late renewal. |
| Q) Where would I get Personal Particulars form/affidavit form? |
| A) It is available at Formsunder the submenu of Passport section in the menu. And list of documents at CHECKLIST. |
| Q) What documents do I need to add my spouse's name on my passport? |
| A) To add spouse's name, applicant only need to add the name in the online application. No supporting document is required. |
| Q) Are custody judgements from Canadian courts acceptable? |
| A) If child is born out of a marriage that was solemnized in India then a Canadian custody judgment will not be accepted as a valid document for any passport service except in cases where both parents give their consent on Annexure D along with their passport copies. |
A) Following documents are mandatorily required:
A) Following documents are mandatorily required:
IMPORTANT: In the cases of re-issuance of passport to minors, custody papers of Child(ren) issued by Canadian courts will not be recognized. In such cases, a custody order by an Indian court is mandatory. Otherwise consent of both parents is required on Annexure D.
| Q) What additional documents are required in case the applicant’s previous passport has been lost? |
| A) Annexure F along with a Police Report clearly mentioning the lost passport details, are mandatorily required. |
| Q) How do I get a police report if I have lost my passport? |
| A) In case of lost passport, police report with all details of the lost passport is mandatory. The applicant needs to file a lost item incident with the local police. After this the police issues a Lost Item Report. Sometimes the police do not hand over the report to the applicant. In such cases, please ask the police authorities to forward the report to the Consulate at toronto@mea.gov.in. To get the report from the Consulate please send an email at toronto@mea.gov.in with applicant’s name and passport number. The applicant may be charged for this report. Once they have this report they can apply for passport renewal. |
| Q) I had filed a police report when I lost my passport. However, I recently found my lost passport. What should I do? |
| A) If the police have issued a lost item report of the passport, applicant is requested to not use the old passport and apply for a new passport. |
| Q) What additional documents are required in case the applicant’s previous passport is damaged? |
| A) Duly filled and signed Annexure F. |
| Q) Can I use salutation / title in front of name? |
| A) Usage of salutation or title like /Mrs./Ms./Late/Dr./Adv./ Eng etc. is not allowed. Submit the name in full. |
| Q) There is a change in the spelling of my parent's name. What supporting documents do I need? |
| A) Applicant needs to submit copy of their (parent’s) Indian passport with correct name. If the passport with the correct name is not available, they will need to first change it on their (parent’s) passport or have the name change published in Gazette of India. |
A) As per extant rules, ALIAS/AKA cannot be a part of name on passport. Applicant will need to use either of the aliases as follows:
OLD PASSPORT
Allowed name variation 1
Allowed name variation 2
Anthony Kuttu Alias Thomas Xavier
For any other variation, the applicant will need to undergo the procedure for name change.
| Q) Who is eligible to apply for a name change in Passport? |
| A) This facility is available only for applicants residing in Canada continuously for over 3 years and having Permanent Resident, Work Permit or Study Permit. Applicants on Visitor permit cannot apply for name change in passport. |
A) Original Clippings of two (02) prominent INDIAN newspapers and at least two ID proof with the new name of the applicant [The original clipping should include the name, date and place of publication of the Newspaper];
Publication of the change of name in the Gazette Notification of India.
| Q) What are the regulations regarding change of name due to marriage/remarriage/divorce? |
| A) For change of surname due to Marriage / Remarriage only self-declaration on plain paper is required. In case of divorce, an applicant may revert to maiden name provided there is an old passport with her maiden name. In all other cases the applicant has to undergo the name change procedure as detailed above |
A) For splitting name into first and surname, no additional proof is required.
e.g. The following is permitted:
OLD PASSPORT
NEW PASSPORT
First and Middle name
Rameshbhai Rajubhai Rastogi
The following is not permitted:
OLD PASSPORT
NEW PASSPORT
Surname
First and Middle name
A)
Please note that copy of payment slip only is not considerzed to be a proof of submission of application for fresh/renewal of permit.
| Q) Can I apply for permit extension with CIC without a valid passport? |
| A) Yes, CIC accepts permit extension application without valid passport. Please contact CIC regarding this. (Once the application has been accepted by CIC, they will ask to submit a valid passport to continue the process). |
| Q) I have a PR card. DO I also need to submit landing paper with passport application? |
| A) If applicant is a Permanent Resident in Canada, landing paper wherein immigration category is defined is required mandatorily with the application. |
| Q) I have a valid CoPR, do I need to submit landing paper as well? |
| A) Landing paper is required unless the immigration category is mentioned on the CoPR document. |
A) If applicant has a work visa issued in India or IM-1 stamp on their passport which have been stamped in India they may submit a copy of the same. If they do not possess these proofs, they need to apply for re-issuance of the landing paper first with Canadian authorities and submit a new landing paper. The applicant can also submit copy of old PR card where an immigration category is mentioned.
In case none of the above works, applicant will need to get a letter from CIC confirming that they have not applied for a refugee status in Canada. Alternatively, they will need to wait for landing papers to arrive from IRCC.
A) Applicant needs:
| Q) I am a US Green card holder and presently in Canada as a visitor. Can I apply for passport renewal in Canada? |
| A) Normally such applications will not be accepted without proof of a medical exigency which prevents the applicant to travel to USA and apply for renewal there. In such situation, a short validity passport of 6 months can be issued. Such a passport will not be extended in future without a valid Canadian permit and the applicant will have to either travel back to USA or an Emergency Certificate (EC) will be issued to allow the applicant to travel to India only. |
A) Applicant need to submit one Canadian and one Indian address in the form with relevant proof as per follows:
Status of Applicant
Passport printable address
Other address on form
Permanent Resident / Applicant on Work Permit
Applicant on Visitor Visa / Visitor Permit / Study Permit
Canadian / Indian address
A)
The following documents are not allowed as address proofs:
A)
The following documents are not allowed as address proofs:
| Q) I have not stayed in India for a long time and do not have an address in India in my name. What do I do? |
| A) Applicant can give the address of their family / relative or a known person in India as long as they can verify their antecedents during police verification procedure. Please share your IDs/Passport copy etc. with them and inform beforehand for the police verification. |
| Q) Can I use the address of my parents/in-laws/siblings as my Indian address? |
| A) But applicant will need documentary proof to establish relationship with the person whose address proof ID is being submitted e.g. Father in-laws address proof would require: copy of address ID of father in-law, Indian passport copy of applicant’s spouse (where father's name is mentioned) and proof of marriage with their spouse. |
| Q) What are the specifications of the photograph? |
| A) Photo specification can be found here. |
| Q) Can Indian nationals who had been issued Passports with 20 (twenty) years validity also apply for a new Passport? |
| A) It is in the interest of the applicant to get a new 10 year Passport as the Government of India has dispensed with the issue of 20 years Passport as per the extant rules. |
| Q) Can I submit an affidavit attested by Canadian/Indian Government as a documentary proof? |
| A) Affidavits will not be accepted as a valid proof for anything. |
| Q) Can I send my Passport application through a travel agent? |
| A) Consulate has not authorized any agent. Application is to be submitted at the BLS Passport Service Centre by the applicant personally or through a close family member bearing an authorization letter from the applicant. Travel Agents/Agents/Solicitors are not permitted to submit applications on behalf of applicants. Please report to the Consulate if anyone claims to provide such services. |
A) The child may be eligible for Canadian citizenship due to their place of birth being Canada. In case parents wish to obtain Indian passport for the child, birth registration with the Indian Mission is required before applying for passport for the newborn. Both the parents should sign a declaration of non-acquisition of Canadian nationality by the child and consent to issue of Indian passport to the child. The Declaration should clearly mention that the child will not apply for Canadian Citizenship till they turns 18 years of age. It may be noted that Indian rules do not allow dual citizenship and therefore, the Canadian citizenship is required to be renounced before acquiring Indian Citizenship.
You will need to fill online passport application for fresh passport on this link and countersigned by both parents. Copy of the record of landing or immigration document/PR card of the child and the parents would be needed. Also submit a copy of the birth certificate of the child showing the names of the parents. Personal appearance of the child may be required in some cases. Please also see the requirement for a normal Passport Re-issue case given above.
| Q) What happens to the visas stamped on the old passport after I get a renewed passport? |
| A) On renewal, the old passport stands cancelled, but all the visa stamped on it will remain valid till their expiry. |
| Q) The lamination on my passport is peeling off. What should I do? |
| A) Please bring the passport to the nearest Embassy/Consulate of India on any working day to get it fixed. |
| Q) There is a mistake in name/address on my passport. What should I do? |
| A) The Consulate cannot make any changes in passport details as filled by the applicant in their form. As such applicants are advised to fill the form carefully. If applicant is required to correct a mistake, they will have to apply for another renewal of passport, using the option 'Change in Personal Particulars'. |
| Q) Is there a requirement of any minimum validity of passport to travel to India? |
| A) As long as the passport has not expired, national can travel to India. |
| Q) Is there a requirement of any minimum validity of passport to travel out of India? |
| A) Yes, many countries require some minimum validity (around 6 months) of passport before allowing you to travel to them. Please confirm this requirement from the airline you are travelling with or the concerned country, you are visiting. |
| Q) Am I eligible for non-ECR category? |
| A) All persons processing educational qualification of matriculation and above are normally eligible for non-ECR passports. Minor children (less than 18 years of age), persons over the age of 50 years, income tax payers with established income from regular profession/business, etc., are also eligible for non-ECR passport. All diplomatic / official passports fall in the category of non-ECR. |
*If your query is not answered above, please click here to submit your query. (Please note that inquiries related to status for an application will not be accepted)
*To check the status of the query submitted by you please click here.. (Consulate may take 24 hours to respond to a query)
